Ollan, just Ollan. Second Tier Acolyte of the Brotherhood of Mercurial Sight. Fluent in spoken Nejiri, all three iterations of their written glyphs, as well as capable alchemist with a specialty in Prismaline-based formulae, and intensive study into the science behind how magic works. That makes me the smartest person in this room. I'm to understand that we'll be working together at this site, so I will insist, for all our sakes, that if you encounter anything glowing, hovering, humming, or otherwise outside the norm... kindly don't touch it. Just back away slowly, and come find me. I'll tell you if it's something that we should be concerned about, or if it's something safe to toss into your 'loot bag' to sell to the first person who offers you coin, or whatever you adventurer sorts do with the things you find.

Ollan, upon introduction to the party for the first time


Name: Ladiya Ollan
Species: Red Fox
Gender: Female
Faction: Brotherhood of Mercurial Sight
Campaign Chapter Appearances: 2
Background: A mid-level acolyte of the alchemical Brotherhood of Mercurial Sight, Ollan (eschewing the use of her first name) was the resident Nejiri expert at the Drachenforge chapter of the brotherhood. Ambitious, as well as something of a perfectionist with little patience for the 'less intellectually inclined', she tended to come across as prickly and a bit arrogant, but was undoubtedly talented and knowledgeable in her fields, and thus was usually worth listening to.

When the Brotherhood made their secret alliance with Ironheart's Legion, it came with the understanding that joint research and sharing of knowledge would be included. The majority of the Brotherhood were academics and scholars, not cut out for combat or infiltration, so the majority of their support would come as expertise in a wide range of supernatural matters. A small team turned up in Drachenforge, intent on exploring what appeared to be an abandoned Nejiri foundry in the region, and since none of them were trained to understand the writings and devices likely to be found within, Ollan was assigned as a consultant, her first real field assignment.

There was some... friction... at first due to her demeanor, but everyone eventually came to an understanding and were able to work together, even if conversations were often held through gritted teeth. The site was being excavated and scavenged by locals looking to harvest the various metal remnants contained within. Not wanting to draw attention, Ollan and the party posed as local observers from Drachenforge and simply stayed out of everyone's way, eventually sneaking deeper into the complex, into the areas that had yet to be cleared, and were able to recover some intact supplies and artifacts, as well as learning that the ancient elemental power source that ran the place was almost entirely depleted. Further explorations were curtailed when the excavation workers accidentally disturbed a massive, half-buried golem, when animated and began to claw it's way violently out of the site.

Following the chaos, the party regrouped, and decided to try to deal with the roving, out of control golem before it stumbled onto a settlement, or worse, found its way to Drachenforge. The party pursued to mechanical monster, while Ollan returned to the Brotherhood enclave to try and gather resources and reinforcements. While the party made contact with an Imperialist troop contingent (unaware that the party was part of the opposition) sent into the region to deal with 'the monster', Ollan managed to procure a fair supply of alchemical explosives, as well as recruiting fellow acolyte Gherden (whom she personally loathed) and his experimental (and unstable) arcane focus lens weapon, which was due for an unauthorized field test.

With these resources combined, the party was able to inflict enough damage to the golem to cripple it before finishing it off. The Guard captain thanked the party 'for their service to the empire' and sent them on their way. The party returned to base with their recovered artifacts, and Ollan returned to the Brotherhood to document the findings, begrudgingly acknowledging the party's contribution to her research.

Ollan would maintain her post on the back lines of the war, but was eventually transferred to the main Brotherhood site at Kalamir, working with senior researcher Ramiel, who had taken note of her works and considered her to have potential, something that Ollan and her ambition happily accepted.
Fate: Left open, but presumably remained with the Brotherhood. I rather liked Ollan, despite her faults, so if I ever ran any kind of 'the next generation' game in this setting involving the Brotherhood, I could see an older and wiser (but still rather prickly) Ollan occupying a position on the Brotherhood senior advisory council.
GM Thoughts and Comments: At one point, while traveling with the party, they came across an Imperialist patrol. One party member, in an effort to keep a low profile and hide Ollan's expertise, said that she was simply their 'camp follower', heavily implying that she was a prostitute (despite the fact that she had neither the looks, the dress, or the demeanor of one). Ollan was, understandably, not amused, and if she could've glared that PC to death she would've, but she kept her mouth shut. Retribution would come when they stopped to camp for the night, and the PC in question was suddenly stricken with an overwhelming wave of nausea and some decidedly unpleasant hallucinations for several hours, seemingly after 'someone' spiked his meal with a 'mild' concoction. No formal accusations were levels, but nobody ever attempted to improvise an unflattering cover for Ollan for the rest of the trip.

Artwork by  LordFenrir of Ollan looking all geared up for field work.

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